The Best Places to See the Northern Lights

 

Nature’s most spectacular light show needs to be seen to be believed. The vibrant hues of blue, green, pink and violet dancing across the night sky are truly ethereal. All the top viewing spots offer little to no light pollution, and clear skies over crisp mountain peaks. If you’re ready to make the trip, experience the unbelievable majesty for yourself at the best places to see the northern lights.

The bitter northern cold is what keeps most travelers from witnessing aurora borealis’ incredible beauty. Enter Chena Hot Springs Resort, and its warm mineral waters where guests can enjoy the light show from the warmth and safety of a natural hot spring. Fairbanks lies directly under a bed of aurora activity, so between August and April, guests are guaranteed a magical display of green, yellow and purple. 

There’s no shortage of fantastic vantage points in Norway, but Svalbard is exceptional. The area experiences polar night, or perpetual darkness. So between mid-November and February, Svalbard is the only inhabited place in the world where visitors can witness the phenomenon during the day. 

Finland experiences aurora borealis roughly 200 times a year, making it a prime destination to gaze at the northern sky. The glass igloos at the romantic Kakslauttanen resort are the perfect place to fall asleep each night watching the dancing display. Then, hunt down the lights on a reindeer-drawn sled ride through the enrapturing wilderness.

With near-perfect visibility in many places, a trip to Greenland guarantees exceptional odds to see some northern sky magic. Hotel Arctic’s cozy igloos on the edge of Ilulissat Icefjord have all the elements needed to make your stay hospitable, so you can enjoy the northern lights without interruption. 

When cloud conditions and low-light pollution align, the Canadian territory of Yukon provides shades of green and yellow light for hours each night. At resorts like the Northern Lights Resort and Spa, you can follow up your long night of stargazing with a lazy day of pampering and massage. 

The 218,000-acre national park is one of the most remote spots in the country, with perfect dark skies every night of the year. Pitch a tent at one of many isolated campgrounds, or stay in a bed in the town of Ranier, just 10 minutes from the park’s entrance. Whatever you choose, the views inside the park are worth the hike, every time.

For a northern lights viewing that’s practically guaranteed, and a trip that’s even more out of the way, the luxury igloos at this pop-up glamping concept are as far north as it gets. The all-inclusive hotel package offers a one-night stay in the North pole, two nights in Svalbard, plus transportation, meals and guides. 

Travelers who fly on Icelandair might get a taste of the phenomenon before they even land. The magnificent Hekla Aurora plane takes passengers on a stopover through Iceland on flights between Europe and America at no extra cost, so travelers can easily experience the lights for themselves without any inconvenience. The plane’s interior is also decorated with one-of-a-kind mood lighting meant to mimic the aurora borealis, for what is perhaps the most immersive in-flight experience yet designed.